Written By: MR. DAHLAN ISMAIL ABU BAKAR (Deputy Director, Centre for Co-curriculum and Student Development, Universiti Putra Malaysia)

Source: Berita Harian (16 July 2025)

University graduates today face challenges that are vastly different from those of previous decades. The job market now assesses not only academic qualifications, but increasingly demands technical and soft skills that are immediately applicable upon entering the workforce.

At present, the 2023 Graduate Tracer Study report shows that between 80 to 90 percent of graduates are employed in their respective fields of study, particularly in technical and specialised programmes such as agriculture, forestry, computer science, and engineering.

However, 10.2 percent—equivalent to 13,777 individuals—are still unemployed. Although this number is relatively small compared to the total number of 324,408 graduates produced in 2023, it remains a cause for concern.

In this context, professional certification programmes—whether short- or long-term—are initiatives designed to enhance specific competencies or skills through recognised professional bodies, industries, or training institutions, and serve as a valuable complement to increase graduates’ marketability.

Various training areas are now being offered, including digital marketing and professional communication, computer programming, social entrepreneurship, and graphic design. These fields offer significant benefits to graduates, aligning with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) in navigating the ongoing digital transformation.

To ensure that such programmes are truly effective, the implementation of certification programmes must be evaluated in terms of real-world conditions and challenges.

Despite offering great benefits, the implementation of these additional certifications faces several key challenges:

• First, in terms of accessibility and financial capacity to afford certification costs. On average, professional certification programmes cost between RM1,000 to RM6,000 for registration and examination. This amount can be burdensome, especially for students from B40 families if no support is provided by relevant parties.

• Second, for certification programmes taken during the study period, careful planning is required to ensure they do not interfere with academic focus. Final-year students typically need to concentrate on their final year project, undergo industrial training, and prepare for employment.

• Third, issues of recognition and standardisation remain critical. Certifications that are not recognised by professional bodies or not aligned with actual industry needs may become a burden. In this regard, the selection of certified fields and their recognition must be carefully reviewed before accepting any offers. Such information is now accessible through digital literacy.

• Fourth, for higher education providers, industry collaboration is crucial to enable universities to design certification programmes that genuinely meet employer expectations. Without active industry involvement, it is difficult to ensure certification content remains relevant to current technologies and real workplace demands.

A more flexible and inclusive approach

To overcome these challenges, the implementation of certification programmes must adopt a more flexible and inclusive approach, including offering self-paced online modules, awarding academic credit for recognised certifications, and providing targeted subsidies for students from underprivileged backgrounds.

In addition, higher education providers can run these supplementary programmes in collaboration with training service providers, acting as facilitators and intermediaries between industry and university.

As a nation advancing towards a digital economy and high-income status, society can no longer rely solely on academic degrees to build future careers.

Professional certification is no longer just an optional supplement—it must become part of a more comprehensive national employability strategy. Only by confronting these challenges systemically and collectively can we ensure that graduates are truly prepared, competent, and trusted by industry.

Date of Input: 17/07/2025 | Updated: 17/07/2025 | syafiqirfan